
“People who only see the bad call us cursed. Now I have a chance to change that narrative.” A noblewoman struggles to mind her manners when a pack of brutes manhandles her silks. A strategist weighs the growth of her career against the fate of her humanity. A deadly huntress questions her ability to serve as a kind, gentle leader. Fearing execution, a sweet-natured jeweler hides a dark secret. Journey into the world of Dragons Within and dance with a fire that flows through the veins of powerful women. Often viewed as evil and destructive, dragons lend their strength to aid their friends and loved ones. Similarly, certain traits in women are touted as unacceptable or taboo, but the women in this anthology claim those traits for their own good and the good of those around them. A lonely healer takes on the burdens of a troubled lake and the sorrowful spirits therein. A hapless lady taken to sea turns the tide from victim to victor. A self-conscious accountant dares to delve into desires that break the rules. A puppy lover with a short fuse takes on the Underworld with a quirky conviction. Powerfully crafted by twelve new and emerging speculative fiction authors, these tales shine a beacon of hope in the face of condemnation, giving others the courage to chase their dreams with scorching determination and impenetrable resolve. Shedding their fear, the women of Dragons Within approach the all-consuming black blaze and . . . embrace their fire.
Authors


Nikolai Wisekal’s love for storytelling began with his wonderful aunt, whose stories made him laugh, think, and just want to read everything he could get his hands on. His mother also had wonderful editions of the original Grimm fairy tales that he enjoyed as a child. Eventually he began to read series like the Dragonriders of Pern, Lord of the Rings, Foundation Trilogy, and the Dresden Files, which set him on the path to being a fantasy and sci-fi fan for life. He got the wibbly-wobbly idea that he could learn how to write at the age of 16, thus starting a start/stop pattern as a writer for nearly ten years. After attending DFWCON in 2018 and making friends, he started to dig into everything writing entails—characters, structure, dialogue, and his long hated enemy: grammar. If you asked some of his critique partners, he seemed to either ignore or have a personal vendetta against commas.